The Sustainable Farming Association is hosting a workshop on silvopasture planning management on October 1 in Brainerd.  This training is for both agricultural professionals who work with farmers and farmers that are considering or implementing silvopasture practices.  

Suitable for marginal land and unmanaged wooded pasture, silvopasture combines livestock, forage, and trees into one holistic system. The Silvopasture Field Training Workshop is set for 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Thurs., Oct. 1, at Sunup Ranch, 12316 Co 18 SW, Brainerd. The event will illustrate how this farming system can improve soil health and water quality, enhance wildlife and prevent erosion – all while providing short- and long-term farm income. REGISTER.

Led by SFA Silvopasture Lead Tyler Carlson and Dr. Diomy Zamora, this event is sponsored by SFA Central & Greater Mille Lacs Chapters and North Central SARE and includes a box lunch. It is free for current SFA members and $40 for nonmembers and preregistration is required. SFA membership typically starts at $40, making it a great time to join the network!

The workshop will take place outside with social distancing guidelines in effect; space is limited to 25 people due to Minnesota COVID-19 guidelines. Registrants will be notified on September 28th if the event is to be cancelled due to low attendance and non-members will be refunded. For additional information on the workshops please see the SFA’s Silvopasture page.

Directions: The workshop will be hosted at 12316 Co 18 SW, Sunup Ranch’s headquarters, and not the house. Access is a minimum maintenance road at the back of the ranch. Folks should be advised that GPS will often take them east of Brainerd to MN Hwy 18 and that the site is west of Brainerd, and Co 18 goes north off of Hwy 210.

Ag Professionals: There are scholarships available to cover the $40 registration fee for agricultural professionals to attend the workshop.  We also offer six CEUs for Certified Crop Advisors to participate.  Here’s the link for applying for a scholarship.  This form will serve as your registration form.  Wayne Monsen (wayne@sfa-mn.org) will let you know if you are registered and the scholarship approved or if the registration is full.